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Most high end Olympic ILF limbs (Win&Win, Samick, Flute) are world class. They can be use on a number of "trad" oriented" ILF risers.
The will be more consistent than most "custom" bows out there, but most trad only shooters won't be able to exploit the differences (sorry).

Viper1 out.

“Simple and innocent, however, as it (the bow) appears, and capable as it is of being a trusty friend and ally, a bow is at the same time a watchful enemy, ready to take advantage of the smallest slight.”

Too many good bows to list, really...What suits an individual best is all personal...For a hunting bow, it would be hard to top the TradTech Titan, with a good set of limbs on it, in the take down category...Jim

Those who separate Politics, and Morality, will never understand either one....John Viscount Morley

Most high end Olympic ILF limbs (Win&Win, Samick, Flute) are world class. They can be use on a number of "trad" oriented" ILF risers.
The will be more consistent than most "custom" bows out there, but most trad only shooters won't be able to exploit the differences (sorry).

Viper1 out.

Truth.....

Those who separate Politics, and Morality, will never understand either one....John Viscount Morley

It's a pretty vague question. Recurve, longbow, hybrid, selfbow, ILF, Olympic/target...? In any category, the shooter is going to be the weak link.

There are so many choices and variables it's really tough to say. You could have ten people choosing from the "top of the line" bows and end up with ten opinions and choices. The thing is there are few bad performing bows made today, it's a pretty well developed field. Top of the line usually comes down to fit, finish, options, and preference over performance.

I'm most familiar with recurves and longbows of the non-Olympic variety. In that category there are so many well made and beautiful bows it's a shame to even list them since some great bowyers will always be unintentionally left out. Since you say traditional archery I'm assuming you meant wood or wood laminate bows, not a tricked out target rig. The best thing to do is read, read, read, threads on here or especially Trad Gang. See what names keep popping up, look at pictures, cruise the classifeds, do a search or two.

All of the bows mentioned so far could be considered top of the line but the list so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Of the bows, both recurve and longbow, that I've had, my favorite is a Blacktail Elite recurve by Norm Johnson. But there are so many nice bows I haven't tried all I can say is they are just one to consider. Just like most everybody else, my favorite is what I own, not necessarily what would be your favorite or what you would choose.

Tradtech makes some great stuff - i love my Pinnacle riser and Extreme BF limbs - like it better than any of the 3 Black Widows I owned.

Martin Archery makes a good bow - but it too is over priced - a Samick will shoot just as well for less than 1/2 the price.

I think Tradtech has the best of both worlds - you can get a quality wood riser that can be shot off the shelf and not freeze the skin off your hands when late season bowhunting - and you can still put top of the line Olympic qaulity limbs on it - like the TradTech Extreme BF.

"a healthy respect for our ancestors" ???? if that is what you want then go make your own bow - dry some sinew and make your own sting - make your own arrows and stone points - no plastic nocks - no dacron strings, no artificially barred feathers, no laminations, no bowning fletch cement, etc...

Sharp, this year I have done exactly that and it is a great excuse to keep busy while waiting for hunting season and the Fall weather to arrive. About the only thing I haven't done yet is make stone heads but since becoming a member on the PaleoPlanet forum it has been a great experience making my own equipment.

Can I ask you why you target anyone that mentions a love of primitive archery.

I don't target anyhone who mentions primitive archery - I just find many that get into the trad police thing to be hypocrites - using dacron strings, laminated bows, plastic nocks, etc... - if you want to get into primitive archery that is cool - but it is different from what most consider traditional archery.

Its a personal choice if Y want to spend more money on one bow over the other thats your choice! I agree w an above post the price IMO does not always make the bow a better one! Used resale might be better will it shoot better, maybe maybe not! I agree with an above post Ed Scotts bows are some of the most unique bows out there all one of a kind! Now if I could afford one I would pay over a grand for one of those bows! The great thing is that there are a lot of great custom bowyers out there that will build you a great custom bow unique to you at an affordable price! I love Bamas, Nate builds a great bow each one is a one of a kind built to the customers specs and affordable! there are many other great bowyers out there too many to mention: Northern Mist, Holm bows, Great Northern, Timberhawke, Navaho, Dwyer, Kegan's bows, St Joe River bows, Mahaska, Cari-bow I could go on and on!

Sharp, Explain how did I come off as the Trad Police ??? I just posted that I favor self bows for the money and I believe Ed Scott bows to be premier bows. NO WHERE do I state that if you shoot anything else should be considered UNTRAD. My reference to historical archery is based on the simple fact that self bows have much more in common with what our ancestors used than a modern recurve. I was not trying to prove one is better than the other.

Some of us have come into the sport because we try to duplicate as best as we can the methods and tools used by our ancestors, what is wrong with that. And what makes you the judge and jury.

Fox and Blackbrook are head and shoulders above anything else I have seen or shot. Dryad are great too but some of the "so called" custom bows out there are way over priced for what you get.
The new Titan 19" with a pair of BF Extreme limbs is a great target/hunting set up as well.